


Smoking Gun

by buzuki



Category: Mamamoo
Genre: Angst, Crimes & Criminals, Detectives, F/F, Love Triangles, Tags will be updated as the story progresses, and yes i will use the good old krystal/byul/yong triangle, hope y'all enjoy this!!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2019-10-17 07:03:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17555636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buzuki/pseuds/buzuki
Summary: What started as a simple robbery case turns out to be the biggest challenge in Detective Moon Byulyi’s professional life. Into the spider-web of lies, she falls. Even after losing everything.





	1. a game of tag

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys, gals and non-binary pals! 
> 
> We are back with another moonsun story that we hope you will enjoy. The idea for this came [from a tweet by our lovely friend](https://twitter.com/moonsunight/status/1086222447563530245), so go check it out. This is only inspired by that so don't think you got the plot all figured out ;) 

The busy sound of the office on a freezing cold Monday is the worst, and to top it all, the heater, which was hardly-working before, has broken down completely so everyone who goes inside the room is inclined to frown and complain about the chilly air as they eye the poor officers who are piled under layers of clothing, watching the fog form as they breathe heavily because of all the stairs.

Jung Wheein stands just like that in the entrance, her innocent-looking face caught up in an expression that’s a mix of worry and misery. She quickly fixes her blonde hair before exclaiming in an impatient exasperation, “Those bastards! We were there, swat team and everything and they just—They fucking left a note!”

Only two people in the precinct doesn’t flinch or turn to Wheein with an open mouth in shock. First is Krystal Jung, because she was present during the operation -being a sergeant and all- and had let herself in after Wheein without making too much noise. Second is Moon Byulyi, for she had previously gotten a phone call from her partner explaining the grim situation and rushed to the building in a haze to hear about the details.

“What did they write?” Seulgi asks after a dramatic pause of a few seconds, she’s holding a cup of coffee and grimacing so hard at either the situation or the bitter taste of the beverage. They had yet to fix the vending machine to not rely on instant coffee to accompany their sleepless nights anymore. “On the note, I mean.”

It’s the sergeant who speaks up this time, her soft voice making the delivered message sound so much stranger than it would echo in Wheein’s irritated tone. “One way, or another. I’m gonna find you. I’m gonna get you, get you, get you, get you. Not the other way around. See you soon, love.”

This, Byulyi hadn’t heard before. She promptly directs her look to Wheein, who’s standing there like a scolded child. To be honest, Byulyi is confused and a little -maybe more than that- curious. “What does that mean?”

“It’s like that song, y’know?” Seulgi says, humming the tune as she sips her coffee with an unbothered expression. When Byulyi still looks lost, she just sighs. “Not knowing this song is an insult to Blondie, you blonde.”

“But knowing the song doesn’t give us much. We are back to square one, aren’t we?” Hakyeon murmurs sleepily, it’s nearing 2 AM and they’re all working overtime because of this ridiculous case. Byulyi thinks he has more to say but he just yawns and rubs his eyes before going back to his paperwork.

“Then what?” Byulyi inquires, feeling the fatigue piling up on her shoulders, “We don’t know where their base is, we don’t even have a lead... Again.”

When Wheein and Byulyi first took up the case, it seemed easy enough. At least easy for a rookie and someone who can’t even go out to the field. A gang robbed a bank, what was the big deal? It’s the 21 st century, every corner of the city was equipped with security cameras, every car had a license plate. How hard would it be to find a bunch of punks?

Except that it wasn’t. Byulyi checked the cameras whereas Wheein tried to interrogate some bank workers. There was nothing, not even a strand of hair. This wasn’t one of those cases where a bunch of idiots decide to rob a bank out of desperation and Hollywood influence, classic style. Those people apparently calculated their every move, so much that they became ghosts.

“This is so frustrating.” She hears Wheein say and plop down to her office chair, reflecting Byulyi’s thoughts as well. “What the hell is this, Ocean’s Eleven? They called us ‘love’. Ugh.”

“I wish Brad Pitt would call me love.” Hakyeon murmurs, his head is on his desk. Byulyi briefly wonders if he’s actually asleep.

Shaking her head, Byulyi helplessly pores through her notes. What is she missing? Who are these people?

It’s useless. She’s useless.

“Detective Moon, can I see you in my room for a second?” Krystal’s voice is always soft, she speaks with such delicacy that it’s almost inaudible. But this time she sounds firm, almost scolding Byulyi. The sergeant doesn’t wait for Byulyi to catch on as she makes her way towards her office, leaving a faint trail of perfume and tense faces behind. Byulyi glances at her colleagues, only to see each one of them focusing on different objects to avoid her gaze. She groans, she has a distant idea of what this is all about.

The door shuts after her with an unsatisfying click sound as Krystal glances at her so carefully that she almost feels like she’s a suspect in her eyes. The stretching silence is broken when the sergeant takes the remote of the AC and presses a button, commanding the device to heat the room. Then she turns to Byulyi who’s standing vulnerably in front of her desk, ready to take any sort of criticism.

But instead the woman before her just sighs, reminding her of the little girl she once was and not the stiff commanding officer she now is. Byulyi used to disappoint her less back in the day. “Detective—no, Byulyi unnie, what do you think about the case now?”

With the sudden strip of secondary titles, Byulyi lets go of the breath she’s been holding. She sits on the chair for visitors then. It’s just her and Soojung now.

“What I think is, this is certainly not a regular one.” Byulyi confesses, eyes focused on the Rubik’s Cube on the desk that she vaguely remembers winning in a festival game for Soojung, “I don’t know how they knew that we were coming. However, there’s only one option, really.”

She lifts her head to meet Soojung’s sharp eyes, a mutual understanding settling on both of their faces. Her childhood friend breaks the eye contact, a hand raising to massage her temples. The stress of expectations that haunted her since forever weigh down on her especially hard in times like these. “Then?” She demands with frustration, “Who do you think it is? Wheein?”

She frowns at the thought. “Wheein couldn’t even hurt a fly.” She says, fully aware of the fact that Wheein has black belt in Taekwondo, then she absently reaches out to get the cube, “I don’t suspect any of them. Maybe there’s a bug in the precinct. We should do a deep cleaning.”

Blue, blue, blue, red, blue. There was always a red square staring back at her. She can’t make it all blue despite all her efforts to put it together.

What a dangerous color.

“Don’t you think it’s about time you go back to the field?”

Byulyi drops the cube on the desk. Not in shock, but in defeat. She sighs, letting all signs of self-hate out along with her breath. “You know I wouldn’t be helpful.”

Soojung presses this time unlike the others where she was all so supportive of her decision. “That’s not true. You were a better sergeant than I ever will be and you know this. They need you there. So do I.”

Byulyi can’t keep her anger away for long. It had built up so tensely inside her chest that it hurts at this point. She harshly pushes the Rubik’s Cube off the desk, it lands on the ground and falls apart to pieces.

“I was there when it happened!” Byulyi raises her voice, eyes burning like that night, with both sleeplessness and bitterness. “I was there and I was a sergeant. But she still died and I was still demoted. How is that doing better than you are right now?”

Soojung rises from her seat, a finger jabbing at Byulyi’s chest in anger. “In your command this team never had such concentration issues! And now? Everyone’s in shambles because  _ you _ are in shambles! How long you will sit around in the office and do paperwork like some pencil-pusher old hag? Grow up, unnie.”

“Well, I think I have the right to sit around and be sad for a while after I watch my girlfriend of three years die because of a stupid mistake I made, right?” Byulyi feverishly shoots back. Now she’s standing too, trying hard to not step on the cubes, “Or would you prefer me to resign?”

Soojung looks blank for a moment before she collects herself with a deep breath. Moments like these makes Byulyi scared of how controlled Soojung is, something that she herself can’t ever manage. “Of course, you-- I’m sorry.”

The tension in the room dies down slowly as the only thing audible becomes their breathing and the AC blowing warm air.

The sergeant softly murmurs, head low, “It’s just that I need someone to help me. The commissioner is doubting me. Because I took the job after you.”

Byulyi reaches to touch her shoulder, her body is tense, but she still manages to pull her into a hug. She finds strength in Krystal most of the times, she’s warm and familiar. She feels like an extension of her childhood innocence. “It’s okay.” She mumbles, voice muffled because she’s pressing her face on her shoulder. “We’ve been through so much. We’ll get through this too.”

They part when they’re considerably calmed down, both faces worried for different reasons. Byulyi almost feels like she’s 11 and they just broke her mother’s favorite antique vase. The spell is broken when Krystal instructs her, “Go home and sleep now, we all need it. Tell the team to do the same too. I still have some work to do.”

 

**

 

The next day -or just hours later- Byulyi finds herself drinking with Wheein in some horribly small bar like she did for the past year, their shoulders touching each other as they sit side by side on the barstool. At least between all the chattering and clinking of glasses Byulyi found a makeshift feeling that’s close to comfort.

“So, who do you think they are referring as ‘love’?” Wheein asks, eyes still thoughtful and totally unfazed by the alcohol. “Or are they just… teasing?”

Byulyi takes a sip from her drink, letting the bitter taste settle in her stomach. “I don’t know. We’re the ones who are officially working the case so it would make sense if it was one of us.”

Wheein arches an eyebrow. Byulyi senses change in her, she’s more delicate ever since they took up this case. The never-ending hunt made her almost paranoid. “Do you know someone who could… I don’t know, someone who had one-sided feelings for you or an ex…” The ending of her sentence fades into the noisy crowd as they simultaneously remember Byulyi’s last ex and what happened to her. “I’m sorry.” She hurriedly whispers, cheeks getting a bit red from the embarrassment. “I didn’t mean to make you—you know.”

Byulyi shakes her head, maybe the alcohol is getting to her because her head is slowly but steadily spinning now. She’s sick of everyone walking on eggshells around her. “It’s okay. I can’t plan my life around the ways of not being reminded of her. It’s been a year already.”

Wheein nods yet still looks apologetic. “Anyway, there’s this journalist who’s been bugging me about the case.” She informs as she drums her fingers against her glass in harmony with the rhythm of the song that the band is currently playing, “Her name is Hwayoung or something.”

Byulyi groans. “The journalists are the worst. They are like hyenas.”

“Yeah, she’s very… persistent.” Wheein huffs, her bangs fall on her eyes with the motion, “I can’t tell her that we know nothing but at the same time I can’t tell her we know something.”

“Just blow her off.” Byulyi advises, she had her fair share of nosy journalists in the past, “They give up and bother someone else in time.”

“I don’t believe this one will, but let’s hope for the best.”

 

**

 

“Solar unnie!” Hwasa calls for her from the large dining room, making Yongsun annoyed as usual. She sighs as if to try to find some strength within herself. She glances to the mirror that’s hung beside the wooden table, she looked firm enough.  

“Hwasa!” She scolds, glaring at the younger to assert her dominance. “What did I say about yelling? Do you want our safe house to be discovered and our whole cover blown?”

The younger looks annoyed for a second before averting her gaze and mumbling a quick apology. “I’m sorry, unnie. I was just going to ask you about our next move. That detective girl isn’t giving me any information.”

A huge smile settles on the leader’s face, showing Hwasa an unsettling, toothy grin. “Oh, but she will, they always do. I promise you. Just work your...  _ charm  _ a little, huh?” She signs to the door with her head. “Let’s find Irene. She had some updates about the tech guy we have been looking for.”


	2. Conflict

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i didn't beta this as much as i wanted but it's been too long so i wanted to update. enjoy! ^^

Lunchtime is suspiciously silent with Hakyeon out on an arrest and Krystal not being in her room because of a long meeting with her superiors. Even Wheein isn’t present since she got a call from the crime scene investigation unit, telling her that she needed to come by to discuss some matters. So it’s just Byulyi and Seulgi and the officers in their uniforms, going in and out of the room in a well-practiced routine.    
Byulyi is trying to make a meaning out of the mysterious note, thinking so hard that she’s sure smoke would come out of her head if Seulgi didn’t poke her, stating with a mischievous smile on her face, “Why are you staring so intently at your files? What did they ever do to you?”   
Once her thought pattern is broken, she glances at Seulgi’s face as if it’s her first time seeing her, a groan rises up from the back of her throat simultaneously. “It doesn’t make any sense!” She cries out in frustration, not caring whether Seulgi stares at her with confusion, “The note, the lack of evidence… Why would they leave a note for fuck’s sake?”   
Seulgi purses her lips, leaning her weight into Byulyi’s desk. “I’m not sure.” She folds her arms on her chest in a thoughtful motion, “There are lots of sociopaths who just want to be remembered, you know? Maybe this person just wants more attention from us.”   
Byulyi pauses to think about this possibility for a while but something doesn’t click. Then an idea crosses her mind, making her blood freeze all of a sudden. “What if they know one of us… like personally? Why would they call us ‘love’?”   
There’s a beat of silence before Seulgi shakes her head. “I think you’re looking too much into it, sunbae.”   
“But, tell me honestly Seul,” Byulyi presses, mind clouded by the cruel possibility, “After the incident… we were all over the news. It’s not hard for some megalomaniac criminal to be obsessed with one of us.”   
This time Seulgi can’t help but slightly chuckle at Byulyi’s growing paranoia, “Unnie, I think you’ve been watching too many detective movies lately. That kind of stuff doesn’t happen in real life.”   
Byulyi has no choice but to let the topic go by grimly nodding. Even if Seulgi noticed her distaste, she doesn’t say anything. She just pats her head two times as if she’s her house cat who was scared from the loud noise downstairs.    
“It’s normal for you to be cautious.” Seulgi acknowledges, a gentle smile taking form on her lips, “We’re all here for you. Don’t try to solve it all on your own, okay?”   
Byulyi’s touched by the younger’s words but before she can even give a reply in thankfulness, Wheein appears on the threshold, distracting Byulyi immediately.    
“Is there a match?” Byulyi asks before even saying a greeting, seeing Wheein’s face is unreadable.

She makes her way to the microwave to get her sad excuse of a lunch and drags Wheein along wit her who just sighs and doesn’t resist.   
“What do you think?” Wheein is equally distraught as her. Poor girl, Byulyi thinks briefly, she’s stuck with no lead and a useless partner who’s stuck on desk duty forever. “No fingerprints. The crime scene is ridiculously clean, it’s like we’re living in a fucked-up household bleach commercial.”    
Her words only make the growing dark feeling in Byulyi’s stomach heavier. She feels like there’s something absolutely wrong about this case. She shivers but it’s not related to the cold breeze in the bureau at all. “That’s… unlikely.” She hears herself say after a short-lived silence. “I think this case will lead up to something so much bigger than we’ve expected.”   
“Obviously,” Wheein deadpans, and Byulyi sees the traces of fatigue inside her eyes under the ugly fluorescent lighting. The ex-sergeant is about to open her mouth to utter some words that would comfort Wheein, but the rookie girl beats her to it. “Sunbae… do you still want to work the case with me? Because I—”    
The beeping sound of the microwave telling her that her food is ready saves them both from a very tense argument for now. Byulyi hastily presses the open button, not caring about the heat radiating from the house device. Of course, being preoccupied by her hunting thoughts, she grabs the plate and burns her hand in a series of unfortunate events.    
“Ow!” She cries out, accompanied with a few curse words uttered under her breath. Her state of clumsiness makes Wheein panic, and then the younger woman is right before the fridge in a few swift steps. She comes back to press a package of frozen peas on her hand, brows furrowed and fussing over Byulyi as if she’s a kindergarten child.    
“Can’t you be more careful?” Wheein sighs, mostly to herself. It hurts Byulyi’s pride to be scolded like that by someone who’s her junior, no matter how much she knows that she’s right. She groans and pulls her hand back rapidly in a motion that takes Wheein by surprise.    
“I don’t need anyone to tell me what to do. Even if I’m useless, I know how to work a microwave.” She harshly delivers, she feels her face getting redder by second, “And I think it’s you who doesn’t want to work the case with me.”   
The younger just stares at her with an unreadable expression, her face is caught up in a grimace even though Byulyi isn’t sure which one of her actions caused it. She immediately feels the regret wash over her, but the damage has been done.   
Wheein looks extremely offended when she speaks again with a feverish voice. “You… do you know how happy I was to be working a case with you, out of all people? You were my role model when I was assigned here! I was…” She cuts herself off before saying more and takes a deep breath instead, calmly continuing. “You keep discrediting yourself. Don’t. Also you keep thinking I am inferior because I spent less years as a police officer than everybody else here. Well, I am not. We have the same rank now. I will notify you if there’s further information. Until then, have fun waiting for me to come back.”   
With her last words, she turns on her heels and storms off. Sometimes Byulyi wishes she had a window somewhere in her body where she could show all the repressed feelings inside her heart. She catches Seulgi’s eyes when she turns in confusion, she wants to smile at her but the brunette only gives her a disappointed head shake and lowers her head to her computer screen.

  
**

 

Their headquarters is warm despite the cold weather that has engulfed Seoul lately, and it’s the only thing Yongsun’s grateful for. Even if the inside of the room is hot, the air is tense like it always is lately. It’s a game of chess, Yongsun reminds herself, one wrong move and check-mate. She should keep her composure, she can’t afford to lose. She doesn’t avert her gaze from the eyes of the woman before her. Her stance is condescending, as if she’s on her throne and everybody else is just playthings to be ordered around, Yongsun hates it. Yongsun hates  _ her _ .

“What did you say the tech guy was for?” Irene asks as if she doesn’t already know. It makes Yongsun’s blood boil.

“I already told you,” She says through gritted teeth, but she still reciprocates her piercing gaze, “How else do you think we can take down the security cameras?”

Logically, she knows that Irene is aware that this is the only way to do it. Yet she’s trying to overthrow her authority, mess with her head. That, Yongsun can’t allow.

They eye each other for a few more seconds until Hwasa cuts in. “I’ve worked with him before. He’s cool.”

Irene’s storming gaze falls on her this time, but the younger doesn’t budge. She raises her eyebrows as if to challenge her. “Are you sure he’s capable?”

“He’s more than capable.” Hwasa says with confidence. Yongsun admires that about her, she lives every moment like she was destined to live it, “He’s the best.”

“Plus,” Yongsun adds with newfound bravery now that their only other teammate is siding with her, “You don’t get to complain since I’m in charge.”

A tempest of emotions reflects themselves in Irene’s eyes before she speaks in a quiet yet disgusted voice. “I’m here to babysit you because boss told so, that makes me in charge.”

This battle for domination has been going on ever since Yongsun was promised her own team, along with Irene. It was silent at first, started with hidden scowls and burning gazes. But now that they’re alone usually, except for Hwasa who chooses to not interfere with their personal feud most of the times, it took a form of an actual cold war with manipulation techniques and petty sabotages.

The core problem comes to this: Irene thinks Yongsun is a brat who had gotten everything on a silver plate after leaving the police force to become a member of a crime gang. At the same time, Yongsun thinks Irene is a greedy bitch who can’t let go of her prestige within the gang, even if it’s for the greater good. They get on each other’s nerves like cats and dogs. Being truly polar opposites, Irene was enraged when she first heard she was the one who is supposed to assist Yongsun in forming her own squad. Her fury made Yongsun snicker.

“What part of co-leading you don’t understand?” Yongsun asks, exasperated.

Irene shrugs. “It’s not like you’re the perfect example of understanding this particular word, Solar.”

Fuming, Yongsun makes her way towards the door. She’s not letting Irene get the best of her. “I think we’re done here, Irene.” She says with venom in her voice, and gestures for Hwasa to follow her, “Come on, let’s meet this genius hacker. With or without our babysitter.”

Irene is left with no choice but to leave her throne and tag along with them.

 

**

 

The address they’re given leads to an apartment building in a poor neighborhood. Irene keeps glancing around, too anxious about the teenagers that are giving them odd looks and appreciative grins and whistles around. She almost looks too small inside her beige coat that Yongsun annoyedly tells her to stand between her and Hwasa which she complies, even if she’s furious.

“What are those guys up to?” She whispers, voice obviously irritated.

“It’s because you draw too much attention.” Yongsun calmly answers while scanning the area before ringing the doorbell of the entrance door to the building, “Ever tried to get a mask or something?”

Irene grimaces. “Whatever, they are creeping me out. Why aren’t you two affected?”

Hwasa shrugs, “I lived on the streets for five years.”

This prompts Yongsun to smirk. “And I know how to fire a gun. Unlike you.”

There’s no elevator so they’re forced to climb eight floors worth of stairs. They don’t even have the energy to complain when they’re done, knocking on the guy’s door in a tired mess.

Seconds later they hear the jingling sounds, and the light that comes from the peephole darkens for a moment. The door opens with a timid motion, revealing the face of a man. His eyes fall on the trio and stops when he spots Hwasa, recognition settling in them.

“Oh, Hwasa?” He gives a friendly smile, Yongsun thinks he could be counted as handsome, “I didn’t know you were with them.”

“Who do you think recommended you?”

The door falls open and his whole body is visible this time. He looks like he’s dressed up for a job interview rather than for a discussion of a robbery. His black pants are properly ironed, and he is wearing a white shirt that’s tightly hugging his chest. Yongsun’s pretty sure it’s from some overly expensive brand. On top of that, his hair is dyed to a dashing shade of electric blue. His appearance and the neighborhood he lives in is in great contrast, but Yongsun doesn’t care to suspect him at this point so she steps inside when the guy moves aside to let them in.

The flat is decorated with high quality furniture, there’s even a computer system that probably costs thousands of dollars sitting carelessly on the dining table. Some 60’s song is playing softly through the small speakers of a record player. Yongsun’s eyes catch the undone dishes on the kitchen counter of the studio apartment, she has to suppress her urge to laugh before such a contradicting view. The hacker gestures them to sit on the leather sofa, himself comfortably settling on the love seat.

“Nice to meet you two ladies and good to see you again, Hwasa.” He greets them, even bowing politely in his seat. His voice is deep yet still manages to sound cheerful, “I go by V.”

Yongsun drops her act of a confident gang leader for a moment and promptly blurts out. “But… what does it stand for? I mean, just V?”

Irene and Hwasa turn to her with judging stares as the guy -V- stirs uncomfortably in his seat. “Uh, it stands for victory.” He makes a V sign with his right hand, showing off his many rings in the process, “Or… peace? I don’t know, it was my nickname in League of Legends.”

Yongsun nods softly even though she didn’t understand much and then clears her throat. “I’m Solar, and this is Irene. You already know Hwasa, as it seems.”

V hums in understanding. He looks confused but apparently he chooses not to question the situation further. “So, how can I help you?”   
The trio watches his expressions change as he listens to the plan. “Oh. This sounds very… multi-layered” He says at last, “But I think I can do that.”   
“Our Solar here likes to think big.” Irene explains, voice containing a hidden disdain, “She has these particular stops before the jewelry store.”   
“I like big-thinkers.” The man answers with a smile, if Yongsun didn’t know better, she would think that this was an innocent grin.   
Yongsun smiles with satisfaction. “Good.” She chimes in, “Let’s give ‘em hell.”   
V looks lost in thought before answering. “So… how much is in it for me?”   
  


  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: a slow updater
> 
> you can drop your thoughts on [twitter](https://twitter.com/buzukiff) or [cc!](https://curiouscat.me/buzukiff)


	3. cat and mouse

No matter how many years she spends as a police officer, there’s just one thing Byulyi can’t seem to get used to. It’s this feeling of helplessness, an ugly, dark sentiment that crawls inside her mind whenever things seem too unbearable. There are people dying, getting mugged and facing inequality but Byulyi’s stuck on her desk trying to get out of a maze with no doors. She can’t help but cross out every word she had written on the paper in front of her with frustration, at this point waiting for Wheein to come back is almost agonizing since the younger woman is seemingly avoiding her since her little outburst earlier. Byulyi hasn’t found the courage in herself to apologize for her overreaction.

The door that leads to the precinct opens exactly at 5 PM like clockwork as if Wheein was waiting on the other side for a grand entrance. Byulyi stands up from her seat immediately with a hopeful demeanor but all of it vanishes quickly as she glances at Wheein’s face. The younger shakes her head simply to signal there isn’t anything new.

“Wheein, I,” Byulyi fumbles with words”, despite not knowing what to say. She hadn’t been the best to deal with emotions ever since the incident. “The other day… I didn’t mean to, y’know, make you feel less than you are.”

Wheein’s stony expression gradually gets softer as she listens to Byulyi blabber an apology of sorts. “I know you didn’t mean to hurt me, sunbae. I just felt like it needed to be said.”

Byulyi gulps, taking a moment before talking further. “I see.” She mumbles, she doesn’t plan on arguing more when there’s a case waiting to be solved. “So, what’d you find?”

“A big nothing.” Wheein shoots back unhappily, “I think they’ll make another move soon. They seem to like keeping us on their leash.”

Byulyi hates being controlled by a criminal like this, hates working overtime yet finding nothing. “Call a team meeting, maybe their perspective would help.”

“You know we called a team meeting only a few days ago, we’re taking too much of their time.”

Byulyi sighs, resisting the urge to say that this was an order. She keeps forgetting that she doesn’t have the superior rank now. “It’s obvious that we can’t solve this on our own.”

“Fine.” Wheein reluctantly agrees, “But you’re telling sarge.”

Byulyi’s not really afraid when she knocks on Krystal’s door, asking permission to enter her office. She opens the door before the other woman signals her to go in, risking a small whine from her childhood friend. Yet she finds her completely engrossed in a piece of paper that she has on her table. Soojung is visibly startled upon her entry, she even jumps a little on her office chair.

“Detective?” She questions, somehow obviously uncomfortable, “What are you doing here?”

Byulyi frowns at this odd behavior, eyeing Soojung. “Huh? I work here, sergeant. I need to ask you something.” She suspiciously eyes the paper Soojung has, “What have you got there, hm?”

The sergeant gulps as she tries to hide the sheet but it’s a vain attempt since Byulyi’s there in a heartbeat, curiously examining the material. When she understands what is written, she starts reading out loud, knowing that Soojung wouldn’t be mad.

“Saint Irene Church in Istanbul. 4 stars. The church takes its name from a saint who was at that time working for the spread of Christianity. Many described him with long dark hair and dark eyes. It was restored in 1991 and is one of the most popular touristic places in the city ever since.

Joy Hotel: 1 star, tall, red building close to Saint Irene Church. Staff needs experience.”

The rest of the page is filled with descriptions of the city and its tourist attractions. Byulyi giggles, turning to Soojung. “Are you planning on going on a vacation without telling me?”

Soojung’s face looks tense for a moment, probably over getting caught not doing work in her office. But she manages to pull herself together in a short second. “Uh, maybe? Sorry.” She pulls the paper from Byulyi’s hand with urgence. “So, what did you want to talk about?”

“We’d like to organize a team meeting… again.” Byulyi states without hesitating, “I know this is making everyone crankier but…”

Soojung interrupts her by waving a hand. “Okay, let’s do it.”

It’s surprising to Byulyi, she had prepared for a longer period of negotiating. She squints her eyes at her childhood friend who gave in way too earlier than expacted. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Soojung breathes out, “Let’s do it before the case gets out of hand.”

**

Yongsun’s just getting back from her weekly trip to the library when she spots a sulking Irene sitting in the living room. Normally, she wouldn’t be interested in checking up on her but she’s on a little project to actually get along with the other woman in order to make things easier for the both of them. She pockets the newest note she had printed out for tonight’s robbery discreetly and mentally prepares herself for the conversation to come.

“Did you lose your broom?” She calls the other as she makes her way into the room. This doesn’t really count as being friendly but it’s progress given the usual amount of tension between them.

“Yeah, I was hoping you could lend me yours.” Irene shoots back, she waves her hand as if she’s trying to shoo an annoying insect away. It’s agitates Yongsun.

The ex cop rolls her eyes but still sits on a chair, staring at Irene intently. There’s a tone of impatience when she speaks up again. “So?”

The other woman turns to her, visibly irritated. “I won’t tell you, it’s classified.”

Yongsun smirks upon hearing that since she knows she’s about to hit a sore spot. “This is about your brothers again, isn’t it? You’re upset because your daddy didn’t care to call you to their big meeting or whatever.”

Up to this point of her life, Yongsun never actually heard someone hiss. And to think that she was a police officer for several years and then a member of a crime gang, it’s fairly amazing to her that she hadn’t met anyone who matches Irene’s level of rage before.

“You think you know me?” Irene scoffs, directing her threatening gaze on Yongsun’s figure, “You think you know what I’ve been through?”

Irene’s rage is much like a slow, steady flame. It’s always there at some point, burning her insides and threatening everyone who tries to come close. Most importantly, with the right amount of push, it flares up and up until it roars.

Irene is at her feet at an instant, towering over Yongsun who’s still sitting and glaring down at her furiously. For a brief second, Yongsun is scared that she’ll get violent, but Irene only jabs a slender finger to her chest, mouth spitting out more words of anger. “You come here and think you can understand everything about this. Quit it, Solar, you can’t. You weren’t born into this. Run the opposite way while you still can.”

It’s impossible to tell the artificial from the sincere at this point, but Yongsun still takes her chance. She collects all the bitterness of her soul and reflects it to Irene. “You don’t have a say in my actions, Irene. If you hate this life so much, maybe you should be the one running away.”

Irene’s expression turns even more grim after that, she’s gritting her teeth when she open her mouth again. “I can’t.”

Yongsun doesn’t have the energy to think about Irene’s words, she just shakes her head and stands up. “Then? Why are you brooding over something you claim to have no control over?”

She watches with caution as Irene takes a few steps tiredly as if she’s even contemplating on answering. The fire in her eyes dies down at last when she glances at the room they’re in. “Are you here to anger me more or is this your sad excuse of a consolation?”

Shrugging, Yongsun walks past Irene and plops down on the spot she left empty when the woman in question furiously stood up earlier. “I have no intention to let you slack, that’s for sure. However I can’t say that I have any sort of sympathy for you in my heart.”

“Good to know that the feeling’s mutual.” Irene dryly comments, and then squints at her, “We have work to do, I haven’t forgotten if that’s what you were worried about.”

“Where’s Hwasa then? We can’t rob a bank without her.”

“How am I supposed to know?” Irene grunts, “You should know, you two are awfully chummy lately.”

Yongsun raises an eyebrow to that. “Jealous?”

“You’re disgusting.” The other woman grimaces, making her way towards the dining table, “It’s no good to get involved with coworkers.” She continues while staring Yongsun in the eyes challengingly, “You should know.”

Despite the irritation bubbling up, Yongsun manages to let Irene’s unnecessary jab slide. She composes herself forcefully, trying not to give Irene an opportunity to see the vulnerable sides of her. “We all made mistakes in the past, what’s your point?”

“My point is, I still don’t trust you.” Irene pours herself a glass of liquor, “An ex-cop working with a crime gang to seek vengeance? I don’t buy it, Solar.”

They are engaged in an intense stare-off by now, both of their gazes unfaltering. “You think I’m a mole.” Yongsun states the obvious, then scoffs at Irene’s logic. “I don’t care what you think of me. You’re not the boss.”

“I swear, I’ll prove it.” Irene presses, “Then they’ll pay the price of not trusting me.”

Solar shakes her head at her co-leader. “Dream on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this chapter is short but i wanted update asap after such a long break!! 
> 
> hope you liked it and you can come talk to me about your theories or thoughts about this on [twitter](https://twitter.com/buzukiff) or [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/buzukiff) as always!! c:


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